I Want to live!

Academy Award winning performance by actress Susan Hayward in the lead role of Barbara Graham. Based on actual events and letters from Barbara at the time, comes the story of a girl who had spent time in reform school due to a hard youth when becoming a woman moves easily into the seedy underworld of drugs, parties and prostitution. Barbara attempts to go straight but falls back into her old ways when her junkie husband can no longer support her or her baby son. When two acquaintances are charged with murder they blame Barbara but she continues to protest her innocence. Vilified by the press and subject to an all male jury, Barbara Graham is tried and sentenced. The death penalty by gas chamber is her fate and very believably the way her character is transformed from good-time girl to suffering victim is testimony to the strength of Hayward’s performance. Shot in black and white with a driving jazz soundtrack (even an appearance by Gerry Mulligan) with tight direction by Robert Wise providing an overall intense dramatic experience.